


I'm Calling You, Papa

by Bex90



Series: Adventures of the Gallagher-Milkoviches [1]
Category: Shameless (US), gallavich - Fandom
Genre: Bi Polar Ian, M/M, Mania, mentions of 3x6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 19:40:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6623653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bex90/pseuds/Bex90
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mickey gets a phone call from a panicked Yev.<br/>Also, where's Ian and why has he pulled them from school at lunchtime on a Friday?</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Calling You, Papa

**Author's Note:**

> When I should be finalising my Big Bang entry I'm writing this.  
> The idea just wouldn't leave me alone.

It’s just after 1pm on a Friday afternoon and Mickey has just returned to the garage after his lunch break. He’s heading back to the car he was working on when his phone buzzes in his back pocket. Pulling it out he glances at the caller ID. Home. There’s a sudden tightening in his chest. There shouldn’t be anyone at home right now. The kids are at school and Ian’s at work. Who the hell is calling from his home phone?  
“Hello?” Mickey answers the call, trepidation in his voice.  
“Papa?” Yev’s quiet voice fills Mickey’s ear.  
“Yev? What are you doing home?” Mickey’s heartrate spikes as he listens to his nine-year-old son.  
“Papa, do you remember when you told about Dad’s illness? Remember when you said if I was ever worried about him I was to call you? I’m calling you Papa, please come home” Yev was rambling like he did when he was worried about something.  
“Yev, what are you talking about? Dad’s at work” Mickey was already heading to the staff room to collect his things.  
“He picked me and Hannah up from school at lunchtime, said he missed us and wanted to spend more time with us” Yev explained.  
“How did he seem to you?” Mickey asked as he slung his bag over his shoulder.  
“Excited, too excited” Yev replied. “He wants to take us to Disneyland!”  
Mickey’s breath hitched at Yev’s words, his mind flashing back to the last time. He stopped at his boss’ office.  
“Yev, I want you to stay with him. Don’t let him leave the house, I’ll be home as soon as I can” Mickey ended the call once he got his son’s promise and turned to his boss who was watching him expectantly.  
“I need to cut out early Billy, my kid just called and he’s worried about Ian” Mickey explained quickly.  
“Is everything ok?” Billy asked.  
“Dunno, that’s what I need to find out. The Jenkins car is done, I was just gonna give it some detailing” Mickey replied, hitching his bag further up his shoulder.  
“That’s fine, Oliver can finish it” Billy told him. “Go look after your family and let me know if you need any time off”  
“Thanks man, I’ll call you tomorrow” Mickey sighed as he got the go ahead from his boss. He practically ran out to his car that as parked in the vacant lot next to the garage.  
Mickey was barely out of the car when he was greeted by a distraught Yevgeny.  
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Yev wailed, flinging himself at his father. Mickey caught the young boy and guided him over to the front step of the three-bedroom house the family lived in.  
“What happened?” Mickey asked, wrapping his arms around the boy.  
“He’s gone” Yev sobbed into Mickey’s shirt. Mickey froze and pushed Yev away slightly so he could look directly into his son’s face.  
“What do you mean?”  
“Dad was running around the backyard when I got off the phone. He wanted to know who I was talking to but I didn’t want to tell him. He started yelling about people coming to get him and Hannah started crying. He didn’t like the noise so he took off before I could stop him” Yev rambled tearily, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand.  
“Hey, it’s ok. It’s not your fault” Mickey pulled his son back into his arms and stroked his hair. “Where’s your sister?” Mickey asked after a few minutes.  
“In her room, I told her to stay there until you came home” Yev explained.  
“Ok here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to head inside and get your sister. Then you’re going to pack a bag and we’ll go to Aunt Fiona’s” Mickey told his son. He knew after such an upsetting experience he needed to know what was going to happen next. It was one of the many ways father and son were so alike.  
Yev’s blue eyes widened. “You’re leaving us?”  
“I need to find Dad” Mickey explained. “You’ll be safe with your Aunt. Liam will probably be home too” Yev visibly calmed at the mention of his favourite uncle. At 15, Liam was more like a good friend to Yev than an uncle. The pair headed inside and Mickey sent Yev to pack a bag before heading down the hall to his daughter’s bedroom.  
“Hannah?” Mickey knocked softly on her bedroom door. It was wide open but it was a habit he wanted to instil in his kids, always wait for permission to enter such a personal space as a bedroom.  
“Papa?” Hannah was curled up on her bed. “Where’s Daddy?”  
“Hey baby” Mickey sat on the edge of her bed as his daughter crawled into his lap. Hannah was biologically Ian’s daughter but the couple made the decision when Hannah was born that they’d both adopt the children so they’d all be Gallagher-Milkoviches.  
“Daddy was so happy it was scary he kept talking about taking Yevvie and me to Disneyland” Even at four years old Hannah had some understanding of Ian’s mania. “Is Daddy going to be ok?”  
“Do you remember when Daddy was so sad he couldn’t get out of bed?” Mickey asked, his mind flashing back to the image of Ian lying in bed only a few months ago.  
“Yeah, I didn’t like that” Hannah said, peering up at her father through watery green eyes.  
“Nobody likes it when Daddy’s so sad but it’s even scarier when he’s so as happy as he was today” Mickey explained. “That’s why he takes the pills in the kitchen cupboard”  
“But if Daddy takes medicine, why isn’t he better?” Hannah queried.  
“A person’s brain is very different to their body so sometimes the medicine brain needs changes” Mickey explained, choosing his words carefully. Hannah considered her father’s words as she nodded and placed a kiss on his cheek. Mickey smiled and ruffled his daughter’s red hair.  
“Hey Yev” Mickey said when he spotted his son standing at Hannah’s bedroom door, a small duffle bag in his hand. “Ready to go?” Yev nodded as Hannah looked between them.  
“Where are we going Papa?”  
“I need to look for Daddy so you’re going to stay with Aunt Fiona for the night” Mickey told her.  
“Please don’t send us away Papa!” Hannah squeals, flinging her arms around Mickey’s neck and sobbing into his shoulder. Mickey feels his heart breaking as he rubs his daughters back in an attempt to soothe her. He stayed silent for a few minutes, not really sure of what to say. Surprisingly it was Yev who came to his father’s rescue.  
“Hannah, do you remember the last sleepover we had at Aunty Fi’s? I’ll bet she lets us stay up really late and eat lots of candy” Yev says as he goes over to her wardrobe. “What do you want to take over?” Mickey could not have been more proud with his son in that moment. Sometimes he had to remind himself that Yevgeny was still only nine years old. Hannah looked over at her brother who was still rummaging through her wardrobe.  
“Yevvie, you weren’t sus-posed to tell Papa! It was sus-posed to be a secret!” Hannah climbed down from Mickey’s lap, her previous worries seemingly forgotten and began pulling clothes from her wardrobe left right and centre.  
“Hey, c’mon now, there’s no need to make a mess” Mickey took a second to gather himself before speaking to his children. Once Hannah was packed Mickey made them both a quick snack to take in the car before buckling them both in the back seat of the almost-brand-new Corolla Ian insisted on buying and headed over to the Gallagher house. 

Fiona still lived at the house, along with Liam who had just started high school and the steadiest boyfriend she’d ever had. Mark came along the same year Debbie graduated high school. He wasn’t Southside but didn’t mind that Fiona was. He loved her for who she was and wasn’t involved in any shit, which Fiona found refreshing. He moved in two summers later and the rest is history. After a pregnancy scare Debbie graduated high school with honours and was able to get into a college across the country on a full teaching scholarship. It took some convincing for her to actually go but once she got there, had the time of her life. She came back to Chicago the summer before graduation having already lined up a job at a preschool on the Northside. Carl got out of the game and cleaned himself up. He never went back to high school, much to Fiona’s disappointment, but Mark offered him a labouring job with his construction company and through that Carl discovered n love of carpentry. After a four-and-a-half-month stint in rehab Lip moved back into the Gallagher house where he managed to pull himself together and eventually re-enrolled in college and graduated at the top of his robotics class. It was very hard to find a job in the field so Lip ended up back at college taking teaching classes. He now teaches high school science. Fiona took some night classes and now manages Mark’s books. 

Hannah was out of the car with second Mickey pulled up outside the Gallagher house. She pounded her tiny fist on the front door and tapped her foot impatiently for someone to answer.  
“Uncle Mark!” She squealed he opened the door, flinging her herself at his legs.  
“Hey little one, where’s your dad?” Mark asked, pulled her up into his arms.  
“Daddy’s not here but Papa is” Hannah said, pointing at Mickey who was walking through the front gate with Yev at his heels.  
“Hey man, you ok?” Mark said, taking in Mickey’s tired, worried expression.  
“Is Fi here?” Mickey asked as they all headed inside. Liam was sitting on the sofa and Yev raced over and plonked himself next to the older boy, already begging to play with him. Hannah followed her brother and plopped on the carpet in front of the TV, pulling out her colouring book and pencils. Liam greeted Mickey with a quick wave before tossing Yev a controller and switching games.  
“She’s over a Vee’s. You sure you’re ok?” Mark said as he led the way into the kitchen.  
“Can you guys take the kids for a while, it’ll probably be overnight” Mickey asked, avoiding the question. He glanced over at his kids who were both engrossed in whatever was onscreen.  
“Mickey tell me what’s going on” Mark said gently. Before either could speak Fiona walked through the front door and stopped short, looking from Mickey to the kids on the sofa.  
“Hey guys!” Fiona said cheerfully, placing a kiss on each of their heads, earning groans from the pair.  
“Hey Fi” Mickey said softly as she pulled him into a hug.  
“I know that look, what’s happened?” Fiona asked, pulling away from her brother in law.  
“Ian’s manic again” Mickey said quietly.  
“Shit, when did this happen?” Fiona tried to keep the shock from her voice.  
“It’s been building for a few days but he took the kids out of school today and kept going on about taking them to Disneyland. Yev called me and said he was running around and playing with Hannah in the backyard but then Ian wanted to know who he was talking to. He was convinced someone was after him and when Hannah started to cry he got agitated and took off. I got home as soon as I could back he was gone when I got there” Mickey slumped against the kitchen bench with his head in his hands before looking up at Fiona with tired, tear pricked eyes. “How could I let this happen? I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to the kids”  
“Hey, it’s ok. They’re both safe” Fiona put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “They can stay here as long as you need but now you’ve gotta go find your husband before something happens to him”  
Mickey nodded and rubbed at his eyes again. “Thanks for taking them”  
“Of course” Fiona hugged him again. “Call me when you find him and come back here tonight, I don’t care how late it is. I think it’d be best if they woke up to you tomorrow”  
“Yeah, ok” Mickey flashed her a tight smile and headed back into the living room. “Hey guys, I’m going to head out, I’ll see you both tomorrow”  
Hannah gave her father a quick hug over the back of the sofa before turning her attention back to the TV. Liam paused the game and Yev turned to his father. “Dad’ll be ok, won’t he Papa?”  
“Of course kiddo, I’ll find him and get him help” Mickey pulled Yev into his arms and held him tightly.  
“You guys be good for Fiona and Mark, ok?”  
“Yes Papa!”

The sun was beginning to set and Mickey was starting panic. He’d been all over the Southside and as far as their own neighbourhood. Mickey didn’t think manic Ian would go much further Northside than their current house. He’d left an embarrassing amount of voicemails on Ian’s phone so one more wouldn’t hurt. “This has gone on long enough shithead, call me and let me come get you…I love you, I just want you to come home” Mickey scrubbed a hand down his face as he tossed the phone on the passenger seat and sighed tiredly. Just as he closed his eyes the shrill sound of his ringtone filled the car. Mickey jumped at the sound and scrambled to answer the call.  
“Mick?” Ian’s tired voice filled his ear and Mickey’s whole body sagged with relief.  
“Ian, where the hell are you?”  
“It’s the only one left Mick, the others are gone” Ian sounded so distant and confused.  
“What are you talking about, Ian? Tell me where are you and I’ll come get you” Mickey said.  
“Mick I’m tired, I think I’ll go to sleep” Ian’s voice was barely audible.  
“Ian! Don’t you dare, tell me where you are damn it!” Mickey tried to keep the stress from his voice.  
“Can you come get me, Mick? I need you” Ian said.  
“Tell me where the fuck you are Ian!” Mickey’s frustration getting the better of him.  
“I’ve been here before Mick, I found you here the day after the worst day of my life” Ian said cryptically. It finally became clear to Mickey Ian was coming down from the mania and it wouldn’t be long before he’d slip into the darkness that was depression unless Mickey got to him first.  
“Ian stay on the phone ok, just keep talking to me. I’m coming to get you” Mickey was suddenly hit with the realisation of where his husband was. ‘I found you here the day after the worst day of my life’ Mickey knows there are only three days Ian counts as the worst of his life. The day he was diagnosed, the day Mickey got married and the day Terry caught them together. 

“IAN!” Mickey shouted as he flew up the crumbling stairs of the abandoned building.  
“Hey Mick” Ian said softly, turning around to face his husband.  
“Jesus fucking Christ Ian, you scared the shit outta me” Mickey marched towards the redhead and pulled him into a tight embrace. “Are you ok?”  
“I’m scared, I remember everything. I remember picking the kids up…oh god the kids! Are they ok?” Ian rambled, pacing in front of Mickey. “Yev was on the phone but he wouldn’t tell me who he was talking to…Hannah was running around the backyard with me and then she started crying”  
“Hey Ian” Mickey gripped his husband’s arm to get his attention. “Our kids are fine, they’re with Fiona and Mark. Now we focus on you, you know what has to happen next”  
Ian froze, his face falling. “C’mon, Mick, it was a one off, I don’t have to go to hospital”  
“You took your pills this morning and this still happened, right? You know that means they’ve stopped working” Mickey’s heart and voice broke as he spoke. “Please help yourself Ian, we need you at home. I need you” Mickey stepped up and gripped his husbands face, silently begging him.  
“Ok Mick” Ian says tearily, grasping at Mickey’s wrists. “For you, for our family”  
“Thank you” Mickey says before placing a quick, chaste kiss on Ian’s lips. “I love you”  
“I love you too Mickey”  
It's 2am when Mickey tiptoes into the Gallagher house. Ian was a mess when he left him at the hospital, so much so the doctor on call made the decision to sedate the redhead. Ian cried and clung to Mickey, refusing to let him go anywhere. Mickey was tempted to stay with Ian but he remembered his promise to Fiona, knowing his kids needed him as well. After promising to be back first thing in the morning, Mickey stayed with Ian until the sedation kicked in.  
“Ian ok?” Fiona’s voice made Mickey jump. She was sitting on the sofa, in the dark, wrapped in a thick blanket. Mickey just shrugged, unable to find the words to explain.  
Fiona stood up and pulled him into an embrace. “Thank you”  
“What for?” Mickey asked.  
“For loving my brother” She replied. Fiona pulled back and gave him a small smile before heading up stairs. Mickey took a few minutes before following her, poking his head into the old boy’s room. Hannah and Yev were curled up together on Ian’s old bed. Mickey closed the door and crept down the hall to what used to be Frank’s room, pulling the battered old concertina door over as far as it would go. Mickey was just on the edge of unconsciousness when he felt the bed dip and a couple of small bodies climb over him. He sighed contentedly when he felt a wet kiss on his cheek. He shifted on his side so both his children had enough room to get comfortable. It wasn’t long before all three Gallagher-Milkoviches were fast asleep.


End file.
